When Are You Most Likely to Get Pregnant?

Many women trying to conceive ask the same question, hoping they can get the secret to getting pregnant faster. Knowing when to hop into bed can definitely help, as the chances of getting your partner’s sperm to unite with your egg will be boosted. Now, what does it take to actually conceive?

First, you need to understand how conception really works.

Second, you need to determine your approximate ovulation time. And third, you need to get busy at the right time!

If you want to conceive fast, here’s your primer to the many aspects of getting pregnant!

Contents:

1. Understand How Conception Works

Before we dig deeper into the best times to have baby-making sex, we should explain how conception works — in other words, how your baby is conceived. For pregnancy to occur, one of your partner’s sperm cells must unite with your egg. Each month, between 15 and 20 eggs mature in fluid-filled sacs on your ovaries, called follicles. However, only one of these eggs reaches complete maturity, and this can happen in either of your two ovaries.

You may be tempted to believe that your ovaries take turns to release the egg, when, in fact, this happens randomly. The release of the egg by your ovaries is called ovulation, and occurs only once a month. Once released, it will travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus; if it’s not fertilized within 24 hours, the egg disintegrates, and is shed along with the endometrium (the lining of your uterus) during your next period. If, on the other hand, the egg is fertilized, it will continue its journey to the uterus, and attach to the endometrium once there.

2. So When Do You Ovulate?

Ovulation occurs around the middle of your menstrual cycle, usually 12 to 14 days before your next scheduled period. For example, if your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, ovulation will occur between days 14 and 16. The first day of your menstrual cycle is the day your period starts. Keep in mind that ovulation can occur anywhere within the interval of 12 to 14 days before your AF.

3. When Are You Most Likely to Get Pregnant?

Your fertile window begins about 5-6 days before you ovulate. Why? Because, although you’re not technically ovulating at that time, sperm cells can survive up to 5-6 days, sometimes even 7, in your system. As such, if you have sex within this time interval, they may be hanging around when the egg is released, ready to fertilize it.

Specialists recommend hopping into bed 6 days before you ovulate, and having sex every other day until then, and once or twice within 24 hours after the release of the egg. One thing you’ll want to know is that, the more frequently you have sex, the lower your partner’s sperm count will be. If you wait until the day you ovulate to have sex, chances to get pregnant will be significantly higher, as there will be more little guys ready to unite with your precious egg.

4. When Are You Least Likely to Get Pregnant?

How likely is it to get pregnant at other times of the month (except ovulation)? You’re least fertile right after the egg dies in your fallopian tubes, and continue to be infertile until day 7 of your menstrual cycle (about 2-3 days after your period stops). The best indicator of fertility is your cervical mucus, and observing it throughout your menstrual cycle will help you determine when it’s time to get busy.

When you ovulate, your cervical mucus is very thin, slippery and stretchy, and it closely resembles uncooked egg whites. This facilitates mobility of your partner’s sperm cells, so they can easily swim to your egg and fertilize it. After you ovulate, progesterone levels increase while estrogen levels decrease, which leads to very little discharge, if any. After your period, your discharge will be brownish, getting lighter as blood remnants are expelled by your body.

At this point, your discharge is dry and clumpy, making it impossible for sperm to swim through. But as ovulation approaches, your cervical mucus gets gradually thinner and watery, reaching the peak right when the egg is released. Chart these changes in your cervical mucus to better observe how your body goes from very fertile to infertile, and understand when it’s best to hop into bed.

5. Tips for Getting Pregnant Fast

Quit Smoking and Coffee Smoking and caffeine can both hinder your efforts to get pregnant, so it’s better to give them while trying to conceive, as well as during the course of your pregnancy and after the baby is born. If you can’t start your day without your cup of Joe, then do your best to keep your daily caffeine intake under 300mg.

Control Your Weight Studies have shown that obese and overweight women have difficulties getting pregnant. If you’re very prone to packing extra pounds, make sure to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. If you’re already overweight, get in shape before you even try conceiving. A healthy diet is of utmost importance to your success!

Ditch Birth Control If you’ve been on birth control, then you should stop taking the pills and wait another 3-4 months before you try to conceive. It takes a while for your periods to get back to normal, so trying to get pregnant right after you’ve ditched the pill can result in a waste of time.